1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cleaning and dusting devices in general. More particularly, it relates to cleaning and dusting devices having a vacuum integrated into a handle for enhancing various dust removal or cleaning characteristics of the cleaning implement.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Numerous attempts have been made to incorporate vacuum or suction-type features into various cleaning tools and devices. The below-referenced U.S. patents and published U.S. applications disclose embodiments that were at least in-part satisfactory for the purposes for which they were intended. The disclosures of all the below-referenced prior United States patents and applications, in their entireties, are hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the present application for purposes including, but not limited to, indicating the background of the present invention and illustrating the state of the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,892 to Fawkes discloses a cordless vacuum brush. The vacuum brush includes a vacuum assembly containing a motor, fan, dust trap, and an elongated hollow handle assembly containing a plurality of battery cells connected in series for operating the motor. The handle assembly is detachably secured to the vacuum assembly. A generally rectangular flat elongated brush head with a hollow interior and peripheral pliable bristles is attached to the vacuum assembly. The head is flexible and moveable in relation to the vacuum assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,541 to Smith, Jr. discloses a feather duster with a fan assembly/dust catching assembly. The dust catching system traps the dust stirred up by the feathers of the feather duster. The dust-catching system includes a fan unit which co-operates with a dust-catching element via a bell-shaped conduit. A skirt assembly is configured to move dust from the feather section to the dust-catching element. In one embodiment, the skirt assembly includes a turbulence-inducing area in which the dust-laden air is thoroughly mixed so the dust does not tend to settle out of the air before that air can be moved into the dust catching system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,381 discloses a protective cover for electric brooms. The flexible fabric covering is intended to be placed over the head of a conventional electric broom. The application notes that the covering is preferably composed of a terrycloth-type material. The suction head of an electric broom is inserted into the first opening and a second opening is aligned with the suction opening formed through the floor-contacting surface of the electric broom.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,976 to Alazet discloses a device for collecting refuse and dust. The device includes an elongate body configured to carry a set of bristles. The body is hollow so as to contain, in its interior, a chamber for receiving refuse and dust. The refuse and dust are driven through a mouthpiece of an orifice via a vertical conduit, then through a channel into the receiving chamber. The vacuum and the suction are created by a suction turbine driven by an electric motor supplied by rechargeable electric batteries.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,078 to Heintz relates to a suction device for removing liquids from a surface. The device includes an air chamber formed from a top and a bottom plate. The air chamber is in fluid communication with a fitting adjacent thereto. The bottom plate includes a plurality of holes therethrough and a fabric adjacent thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,755 to Leal discloses a vacuum dust mop to be used on furnishings, floors, and walls. The apparatus consists of a housing having suction slots on four sides and the bottom. A motor device sits within the housing and creates a vacuum which draws dust into the slots. A filter mechanism within the housing traps the dust for subsequent removal from the housing. The housing is covered by a soft cloth cover so as not to scratch the surfaces to be cleaned. The cover has a plurality of holes on the side and bottom in order to allow the dust particles to access the suction slots and an internally sewed glove to allow the unit to be hand held. An appenditure on the top of the housing has internal threads in order to accept a broom handle to allow the unit to be easily used on floors and walls.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,671 to Wright et al. discloses a self-contained mopping and drying system for floors that includes a housing, a handle extending from the housing, and a scrubbing member mounted on the housing. A pair of squeegees is mounted on the housing for collecting contaminated liquid on a floor surface, and a suction system is within the housing for removing the contaminated liquid from the floor surface to leave the floor in a substantially dry state. A tank is mounted on the housing for collecting the contaminated liquid that has been removed from the surface by operation of the suction motor, and a power source provides electrical power to the suction system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,731 to Carter relates to a dusting attachment for a vacuum. The attachment includes a core unit with base and apex ends and three lengthwise oriented portions. The core is provided with a selected functional patterning of air apertures that extend through the core's outboard and inboard surfacing and communicate with the core's central air channel. A feathering system is attached to the interstitial spaces of the core's outboard surfacing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,746,166 to Jeon et al. discloses an apparatus for cleaning stains and extracting cleaning fluid from a surface without requiring electrical power. A sprayer receives fluid from an attached refillable reservoir of cleaning solution. During scrubbing, the top of a pump actuator provides a resting place for the heel of a user's palm. The pump actuator may be locked down when scrubbing and unlocked for pumping to suck up fluid. A piston in a chamber provides the suction force for pulling fluid up through tubules, which may be interspersed between bristle tufts, past check valves and into a waste reservoir.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,350 to Gordon discloses a suction-assisted dust mop. An electric motor powered blower or fan is connected to a hollow tube to generate a suction for cleaning dust at multiple suction holes in the tube walls, which in turn generates suction in the fiber pile of the dust mop covering the suction holes. Chemical agents and/or an electrostatically charged fiber pile are disclosed along with suction to improve the efficiency of the dust cleaning process.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,921,438 to Lausevic relates to a vacuum cleaner attachment for fungi removal. The attachment includes an abrasive and porous pad for dislodging fungus. The debris and particulate matter generated by the abrasive process is drawn into the vacuum attachment and into the vacuum system.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0015919 to Stewart discloses an automatic dustpan broom. The broom includes an aspiration canal in the broom brush, reaching an aspiration tubing situated inside the broom handle. A motor is situated alongside the tubing and permits the aspiration of air through the aspiration canal and aspiration tubing by an opening along the tubing side. The opening is made of a semi permeable membrane which allows air to exit the tube while keeping dust inside.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0025271 to Shimada et al. relates to a cleaning device that includes a cleaning surface, a support arm, handle portion, and a pivot for pivotally supporting the support arm. The cleaning surface includes an adhesive surface and a cleaning cloth surface.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0148732 to Allard-Latour et al. discloses an end piece for a vacuum cleaner. The end piece includes a plate having a lower surface which rests on the ground and includes channels which direct suctioned air to a suction opening. The lower surface of the plate includes three suction channels between which a wiping device is mounted. The wiping device is not specifically defined; however, it is noted that the wipe may be damp, or dampened with a liquid conveyed to the wipe from a reservoir built into the nozzle.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0221419 to Franceoeur discloses a vacuum cleaner nozzle. The nozzle includes a body having a cleaning surface defining a first and second cleaning section. The first and second cleaning sections are provided with first and second dislodging bristles for dislodging the soiled particles from the soiled surface.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0048331 to Stewart relates to a floor cleaning machine having a microfiber pad. A microfiber cleaning assembly is mounted beneath the machine for cleaning the floor following the vacuum pick-up.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/090,438 filed Mar. 25, 2005 discloses a soft surface remediation device. In one embodiment, the device includes a dust filter and may be attached to a vacuum for cleaning upholstery or touch up cleaning.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/373,931 filed Mar. 13, 2006 discloses a duster that may be attachable to a vacuum.
Commonly owned U.S. application Ser. No. 11/090,438, filed on Mar. 25, 2005, and U.S. application Ser. No. 11/168,624, filed on Jun. 28, 2005, disclose various soft surface remediation devices, some of which utilize forced-air or pneumatic forces during use. Both U.S. application Ser. No. 11/090,438 and U.S. application Ser. No. 11/168,624, are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for background purposes.
Commonly owned U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/829,604, filed on Oct. 16, 2006, and its corresponding non-provisional U.S. application Ser. No. 11/873,131, filed on Oct. 16, 2007, disclose handheld dust removal devices, each configured to draw a vacuum airflow through and/or around a dusting cloth. Both U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/829,604 and U.S. application Ser. No. 11/873,131, are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for background purposes.
While satisfactory in various regards, the aforementioned devices are not without certain shortcomings and limitations for certain tasks. For example, such previous designs can be relatively complex technologically, expensive, and/or can prove cumbersome to use, especially for extended periods of time.
Accordingly, there still exists a need for a small vacuum utilizing duster adapted for single handed use, which can be used for relatively long periods of time without proving unwieldy and/or without overly fatiguing the user. Furthermore, a need exists for a small vacuum utilizing duster that can be used in a manner similar to handheld sweeping, brushing, or dusting devices, but having enhanced performance.